Football Association chairman Greg Dyke is expected to announce a target for an increase in the number of English players in the Premier League when he reveal the findings of his England Commission on Thursday.

Dyke set up the commission to tackle the issues around the lack of opportunities for English players in the top flight and also focus on the future of the England team.

The findings, including proposals for some clubs to have 'B' teams playing lower league football, as they do in Germany and Spain, will be announced at Wembley Stadium at 2pm.

The report from Dyke is also likely to call for a crackdown on the abuse of work permits for non-EU players - the rules state they are supposed to be regular internationals but that is often not the case.

Increasing the number of coaches is also expected to be highlighted as a crucial area, according to sources. England has 1,161 coaches at UEFA 'A' level, compared with 12,720 in Spain and 5,500 in Germany.

The main thrust of the findings, however, is likely to include a target for England to come more into line with countries such as Spain and Germany by a set date.

A study in October by the BBC found English footballers accounted for less than a third of all the minutes played in the Premier League - 32.26 per cent, which is significantly lower than all other major European leagues.

Spaniards accounted for 59 per cent of all minutes played in La Liga, while in Germany's Bundesliga Germans made up 50 per cent.

Dyke presented his findings to the FA board on Wednesday and will do the same to the Football League board before the public launch.

There is already considerable opposition to a plan for a new 'B' team league - especially the option of a newly-created division which would be placed between League Two and the Conference.

The Premier League favour a beefed-up under-23 league to replace the current under-21 competition, while there is also a feeling that there already is a breakthrough taking place with young English players, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez, Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley promising a bright future for the national side.

Lower-league clubs and those in the Conference, meanwhile, are fearful about the impact on them, if well-resourced under-21 sides from wealthy Premier League clubs compete with them for league places.